Author: Andy

Registration is now open for:

The Bald Mountain Loppet 2024

When: February 24, 2024

Start time (from trailhead): 8:30–9:30am

Distance: 18 miles, roundtrip

Estimated skiing time: 6 hours

 

In Scandinavia, a loppet is a long-distance, non-competitive group ski. Here on the Palouse, we are planning our own loppet – from the Palouse Divide trailhead to the Bald Mountain Lookout Tower.

This 18-mile loppet will be a fun and challenging outing for fit, experienced skiers. It is not a race but a tour to be completed at participants’ own pace. Participation is limited to 40 skiers.

Our amazing team of groomers plan on grooming the entire route (wish us luck!), which entails a 9-mile, 1,715-foot climb to the top of Bald Mountain and back. Be prepared for changing and colder weather. We estimate that skiers in good physical shape will take 6 hours to complete the entire trip.

Participation in the loppet is free, but we will gladly accept donations to help us continue to ensure reliable Nordic skiing on the Palouse. The club will have hot drinks, soups, and a fire at the lookout tower for participants.

Of course, we are keeping an eye on snow levels and will adjust planning as necessary.

Register in advance by completing the registration form at this link: https://form.jotform.com/240298078568167.

Best,

Jesse, President of the Palouse Divide Nordic Ski Club

Dear Friends of the Palouse Divide Nordic Ski Club,

We had a great and very busy Free Ski Day. Thanks to all the volunteers for helping out to Hyperspud Sports for loaning us all their rental gear! Next week the group heading out to the Clearwater Big House in the Blue mountains will be taking off — and we will be able to use our new snowmobile on its maiden voyage before it goes to the Divide for its main task! Our next event will be free ski lessons February 3. Email me if you want to sign up!

But that’s now why I’m writing today: We are submitting a grant application to the Idaho Department of Parks and Recreation. If successful, the funding would be used for tools and equipment to allow our volunteers to clear and maintain trails in a more effective, efficient and safer manner. The goal is to secure funding for 2 battery-powered chainsaws, 1 battery-powered pole saw and a set of 4 radios. The battery operated tools  reduce the need for purchasing and transporting gasoline and their lighter weight reduces operator fatigue. The radios will allow communication between groomers for efficiency and reduce response time in case of an emergency.

If you have feedback on this grant application’s potential to help the club and use Facebook, then I invite you to write a comment on yesterday’s post about this grant application. Just to to “Groups” in Facebook, click on the club’s name and you should see the post and comments. We will include comments posted in our application materials!

More later in the week on the grooming situation,

Jesse, for the Palouse Divide Nordic Ski Club

Click here to go directly to the Facebook Post

Dear Nordic Skiers of the Palouse,

With all this new snow, I’m happy to report that groomers will be out today getting the trails ready for the weekend! Thank you groomers, Jon, David and Emily!

And our postponed Free Ski Day is back on this coming Saturday, 10-3pm. We’ll have free parking, free cross-country ski and snowshoe rentals (thanks Hyperspud Sports!), free Nordic ski lessons, and free lunch (hot soups and breads), snacks and hot drinks! We’ll try to have the lessons run on the hour (with the last lesson starting at 2pm), but if you’ve been to Free Ski Day before, you know that we have to adjust timing at times to match changes in supply (instructors and skis) and demand (you!). But we have an amazing team of volunteers to introduce as many people as possible to cross-country skiing and the Divide! [And if you would also like to volunteer, let me know!]

There are still a couple spots available for the ski into the Clearwater Big House in the Blue Mountains, January 27-29th. Let us know by Sunday if you want to come, so that participants can start arranging food and gear. We’ll have a snowmachine to haul in some gear and water , while skiers will take the 7-mile mostly flat trip into a former forest service cabin nestled in the Blue Mountains. Participants will split the modest parkins and rental fees. This should be a hoot!

See you at the Divide!

Jesse, President of the Palouse Divide Nordic Ski Club

Dear Palouse Divide Nordic Skiers,

The snow has come back to the Palouse, and just in time for Free Ski Day!

Free Ski Day, this Saturday, January 13, 10-3pm. 

Free cross-country ski lessons (last lessons start at 2pm), free ski rentals, free food (hot soups, breads and snacks!), & free parking. Come to the Palouse Divide for our annual beginning of the season event! It’s going to be cold, so bring plenty of layers and be prepared to keep moving! We’ll also have fires and hot drinks to keep you warm at the trailhead, at the warming hut, and along the way! Bring your yak tracks for the parking lot, just in case too! Come along and enjoy the snow!!!

Nordic Ski Swap. The Palouse Divide Nordic Ski Club is hosting a ski swap for cross-country ski and snowshoe gear. Wednesday, January 17, 6:30–8:30 at the 1912 Center’s Art Workshop . Kids gear especially welcome! Free entry to all! Contact palousedividenordic@gmail.com for more information or to RSVP that you are bringing gear to swap!

So glad we finally can start skiing together again! See you on the trails soon!

Jesse Spohnholz, President of the Palouse Divide Nordic Ski Club

Dear Nordic Skiers of the Palouse,

Grooming Report: Sadly, there will be no grooming this week due to lack of snow. And there’s no snow predicted in the next few days. Be patient! We had a couple of weeks with fun skiing. There will be more!

Ski Instructors: As you know, the club offers free cross-country ski lessons on Free Ski Day, the following week and then every two weeks until the snow melts in the spring. We are looking for a couple more instructors to help out. If you are an experienced skier and want to help others become one too, let me know! No experience teaching skiing needed — we have lead instructors to take the helm, but we could use some folks to support.

Special Olympics: Similarly, Moscow’s Special Olympics team is looking for volunteers to help with snowshoeing and cross-country skiing this winter, also on Saturday mornings. If you are interested in helping out, contact Jill Rinaldi at Jillkrinaldi52@gmail.com!

Grant Applications: The club will be applying for a grant from Idaho Parks and Recreation for new trail equipment (pole saws, communication radios, etc.). We will be looking for Nordic skiers of the Palouse willing to write letters of support. I will send specific instructions when I have them. If you are willing to make your voice known, we can speak louder when we do it together.

Fundraiser: I am elated to announce that we raised almost $14,000 in our fundraiser this year. That will allow us to purchase a new Skandic 600 utility snowmobile to ensure continued reliable grooming at the Divide. We’ll purchase the machine soon and get it on the trails early in 2024. If you chipped in, even just one $5 raffle ticket, stand proud when the groomers drive past on the trail that you helped bring that machine to the Palouse Divide. Thanks to Hyperspud Sports for donating the prizes, and to all the generous members of our community who make this possible!

Doing my little snow dance on a warm mid-April, er, late December day,

Jesse Spohnholz, for the Palouse Divide Nordic Ski Club

Dear Nordic Skiers of the Palouse,
Grooming begins! The groomers are at it with plans to groom Big Loop, the Palouse Divide Road, and Hume Road, where the snow is its best. Snow is thinner at Meadow Creek Loop and Little Loop, so we probably will have to wait for another snowfall for those. Thanks groomers!
Bingo night and Fundraiser: Tonight ends our fundraiser to get a new utility snowmobile to replace our old Yamaha. At the 1919 Center tonight in Moscow is Bingo from 6 to 9pm. We’ll have the last raffle tickets for sale there as well and the website will stop accepting the online purchase of raffle tickets when that event is over. So if you want to get a chance to win a complete Nordic ski packet from Hyperspud Sports, act now! Thanks Hunga Dunga for puttin this one!
Free Ski Day at the Divide. Our next event will be Free Ski Day, with free lessons, free rentals (thanks, again Hyperspud Sports!), free parking, and free food! Come on up for the fun on January 13, starting at 10am. (See the event page for more info)
Women’s Skis. As I announced at the club meeting last Thursday, this year, a group of women will be organizing women’s ski outings. I will announce them in my Thursday updates, but they are organizing these informal women’s skis. If you are interested in helping to organize, let me know and I’ll put you in touch!
Website and Membership Updates. The club is finally moving into the 21st century with our membership! Soon, I’m going to start transitioning to an announcement list, instead of emailing you separately. We are also going to allow members to manage their own membership information. If you have not done so, go check out 

https://palousedividenordic.org/members-area/

 to manage your membership information. This shold transition us away from the paper membership forms (which will still exist if you want them). You can also remove your email there or remove your membership entirely if you want to stop getting these reports. Thanks to our webmaster Andy Jacobs!

Pay your dues and buy your ParkN’Ski Pass. Club dues go for snowmachine and grooming equipment maintenance, port-a-potty rental, and upkeep and improvements on the warming hut (like our awesome new outhouse)! And ParkN’Ski Passes are required for parking at the Palouse Divide during the season (and also help support trail maintenance).
Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow,
Jesse, for the Palouse Divide Nordic Ski Club
Dear Fellow Cross-Country Skiers,
Some of you (and me!) had the opportunity to take advantage of the 2 days of great early snow at the Divide last weekend. Sadly, we are back up to more normal temps for the first week of December, so the snow is melting. But it will be back in a matter of days! Fear not!
While we wait, a few reports:
First, our annual club meeting will be this coming Saturday, 4-6pm at Moscow Brewing Company. We’ll have updates on the Divide, including Free Ski Day, lessons, the website, logging operations, news about our fundraiser, elections of club officers, our ski swap, and other events. Come with your ideas and your questions! If you have not done so, you can pay your annual club membership dues ($20 per person, $30 for a family) to support the port-a-potties, grooming costs and snowmobile maintenance, and other club costs. Come and make ski friends!
Second, the port-a-potties are now up at the Divide. If anyone ever finds something missing or wrong with them this winter, contact this email and we’ll get on it! The same goes for the outhouse by the warming hut.
Third, the snows this weekend knocked down a few trees on the trails. If our groomers can’t groom this Thursday, they should be able to start clearing those! But grooming will start soon in any case.
Finally, don’t forget to get your Park N’ Ski Pass! Get them at Hyperspud Sport or online at 

https://parksandrecreation.idaho.gov/activities/xc-skiing/park-n-ski-in-idaho/

. Make sure to identify the Palouse Divide as your primary ski location! It helps the club a lot if you do!

See you on the trails!

Jesse Spohnholz, President of the Palouse Divide Nordic Ski Club

Join us for the Palouse Divide Nordic Ski Club Annual Meeting! Meet club members, vote for board members, and learn about plans and events for the upcoming 2023-2024 ski season while enjoying tasty food and beverages from Moscow Brewing. The meeting is open to everyone, but only members can vote on board positions. 
Palouse Divide Nordic Ski Club Annual Meeting Flyer 2023
Palouse Divide Nordic Ski Club Annual Meeting Flyer 2023

RSVP and get updates on the Facebook Event

As many on the Palouse are shivering in their houses because of the gas shutdown, it may feel that winter is even closer than ever! But there’s still several weeks before we can expect any snow! As we prepare for that day, I wanted to announce that the club was able to complete all necessary trail maintenance on the trail work day last Saturday, so we do not need to go up for our secondary day this coming Sunday. The warming hut has been moved. Firewood has been chopped. The trails are clear. Now we are ready for snow!

Stay tuned for a full calendar of events at the Divide! In the meantime, if you have not yet purchased raffle tickets, go ahead and do that now on our website. We are over $1,000 into the $3,000 matching gift from Tom and Julia Mumford for a new snowmobile for grooming! Also make sure to renew your membership and get your ParkNSki pass for the 2023-24 ski season!

Jesse Spohnholz, for the Palouse Divide Nordic Ski Club

P.S. As always, if you want to stop receiving the notifications, just let me know!

I am thrilled to announce that we met the $2,500 match made by Scotty and Diane Cornelius in October! I am equally thrilled to announce that Tom and Julia Mumford have been inspired to offer matching donations to the club, toward buying a new grooming snowmobile, of $3,000!!! So from now until the end of 2023, all raffle tickets purchased or donations made to the club will continue to be doubled, thanks to the generous donations of the Mumfords. Here’s

Tom Mumford

one of the many times he helped us dig a snowmobile out of the snow while grooming the trails! We can get there together!

May be an image of 4 people and people skiing